The St Vincent de Paul Society (or as it is often know - the SVP) is an international Christian voluntary organisation dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing practical assistance to those in need - irrespective of ideology, faith, ethnicity, age or gender.
The Society is a lay organisation initially formed in Paris in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam and his companions, and active in England and Wales since 1844. Placed under the Patronage of St Vincent de Paul, it is inspired by his thinking and works. It seeks, in the spirit of justice and charity, to help those who are suffering poverty in whatever form.
The work of the SVP falls into two main areas: Membership Activity and Special Works.
The main work of the volunteer members is to befriend and assist individuals and families in need on a person-to-person basis, through visits to domestic residences, care homes, hospitals, prisons and other institutions. In England and Wales, around 10,000 volunteer members in 1,100 mainly parish-based groups make more than half a million visits each year to vulnerable people in their communities.
In addition to member visits, so Society also operates a number of "Special Works", which seek to serve people in a wider area or give more specialised help in a certain aspect of the work. These Special Works currently include holiday schemes, children's summer camps, furniture stores, community shops, support centres, soup runs, residential care, deaf clubs, debt counselling, community transport and asylum care. Direct support and financial assistance is also provided to people in need overseas through its international network of volunteers and the SVP Disaster Fund.
Founded by students in 1833, the SVP today runs an active programme of youth development in parishes, schools and universities.
A centenary of charity!
Apart from “Special Works” our annual visits average 600 a year, usually to parishioners at home in care and nursing homes, and in hospitals. Under the society our Conference is “twinned” to three Indian Conferences, both in financial aid and in prayer.
The Conference is dependent on the parish in sustaining our work and should you know of any person requiring help or who like to join us, please contact:
Mary Whitehead - 01273 203481
Wendy Woodland - 01273 777 583
Harry Roberton - 01273 563485
Turning Concern into Action
